Music-roll for piano-players and method of producing same



A. S. JAY.

MUSIC ROLL FOR PIANO PLAYERS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.23, 1920. 1,381,641 I PatentedJune 14, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PART TWO Announgemeni No. 17

J HARE William H. Tucker Cue. No.33

Dick Hare and Father Close-up." Dick Hare.

' Close-up Dick Harz'sF lther Close-up Dick H r-am Sister Annonnccmznh No. 18

"And Iam going to be.

master of n1 own C ue No.54

family. Dick Hare leave; room C 12.: No.15 5

Either I'llowa Cue, No.5G

Dick Hare on stains Annoufleement No. 13

"Under stand Sir, I have my son.

Cue No.57

Father alone at stair-W9 Announcement No.20

HALLIJOHN 1 James O'Connor Announce memt N o. 2. i

AFY, h is daughter Cue No. 58

Father in Woods Announcemcni. No. 2.2

"You must forbid your girl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ALICE SMYTHE JAY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11113 14, 1921.

Continuation of application Serial No. 90,698, filed April 12, 1916.- This application'filed August 23,

1920. Serial No. 405,255.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALICE SMY'rHn JAY, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mus1c-Rolls for Piano-Players and Methods of Producing Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the method of producing music rolls for antomatic pianos, the same to be used 1n conjunction with the reproduction of movmg picture presentations.

The present application is to be considered a continuation of my pending application Serial No. 90,698 to the extent of the disclosures therein.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the usual method of producing music rolls for such use has been very unsatisfactory in that itconsumes much time and labor and it has been almost impossible to get the roll properly synchronized with the changing scenes of the film.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved method for producing music rolls of the character mentioned whereby the rolls so produced will reproduce music in harmony with the reproduction of the picture with which it is to be used. A further object of my invention is to provide a method for producing said rolls whereby the cutting of the master sheet is completed with one operation and that while viewing the picture with which it is to be employed. A further object of myinvention is to provide a music roll of the usual len -th (apro rb mately ninety feet) which will sync ronlze correctly with a complete film reel ofthe usual length (approximately one thousand feet.) Heretofore, so far as I am aware,

this has not been possible and it has been necessary when presenting a thousand foot reel to use several music rolls to'accompany the same, thereby necessitating changing of the rolls during the presentation of the picture. A further object of my invention is to provide a music roll of the character mentioned provided with suitable indicia whereby the operator of the musical instrument shall be advised of the changes in the scene so as to be able to keep the music synchronized with the picture in the event that the operator of the projecting machine is operating the same out of the normal time;

or in the event that the picture film has been repaired with portions thereof cut out as is common. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

To understand my invention, the usual method of recording master sheets should be borne in mind. In recording these sheets a recording machine is provided through which the blank, unperforated sheet is fed at a uniform speed. This recording machine is connected, usually electrically, to a piano, and the musician plays the piano and in so doing operates the recording machine. The recording machine may be of either of the two general forms used for this purpose, onev of which cuts the necessary apertures in the music sheet and the other of which indicates on the sheet where the apertures are to be cut to form the master roll. This is old and forms no part of my invention except in so far as the employmentof such a recording.

tation from the musician. As the picture is thrown upon the screen, the musician plays music suitable to the screen, being shown, and. changes the music to suit the change of scenes. This music may be improvised as the scenes appear, or may-beplayed from written or printed music. With each change of scene or prominent act in the scene, the

musician calls such change or act which are taken down by the stenographer in sequence. The announcements on the screen are also dictated in sequence with said acts and scenes and these are also taken in order by the stenographer. With'each call of an announce- I ment or a scene or act, the'afore-mentioned asslstant, standing beside the musician with .a finger ononeof the keys of the piano, preferably the highest one, operates said-key to produce a symbol or indicia upon the sheet being cut so that after the sheet is completely out the dictated announcements, scenes, etc, may be printed in proper position upon the sheet. fter the sheetis completely out and printed as above mentioned, it is run through a piano player simultaneously with a reproduction of the picture to insure that the cues or indicia thereon are correctly positioned, after which the master sheet is complete and ready to be used in the reproduction of other rolls for commercial use.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the. accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the cut master sheet as it comes from invention, so that wherever I mention that the sheet is cut by the recording machine it is i to be understood that thisflalso contemplates marking the sheet to be subsequently cut. 3 and 4 are apertures cut on the edge of the sheet by the aforementioned assistant at the time the dictationis given by the musician. The sections of the music roll and of the stenographers transcribed sheet shown in the drawings is the reproduction of an actual roll and sheet,'the same being the first portion of Part II of a reproduction of East Lynne. In producing the same, as soon as announcement numbered 17 was shown on the screen, the musician dictated Announcement 17-Judge Hare. This was taken down by the stenographer and simultaneou'sly with said dictation of Announcement the assistant struck two short strokes upon the. high key of the piano producing the two apertures 4 shown on Figs. 1 and 2. When the picture showed Dick Hare and his father, the musician, continuously playing suitable improvised music, dictated Dick Hare and 'father which was taken down by the stenographer and the said assistant struck one quick sharp'stroke upon the high key of the piano, producing the one aperture 3. This was continued throughout the production of the picture and it will be seen that the stenographers'sheet of Fig. 3 Will tally with the music sheets of Figs. 1 and 2. After the roll is completed suitable stamps are made from the stenogi'aphers sheet and these are placed on the sheet opposite the apertures 3 and 4, as shown in Fig. 2, said apertures indicating the proper positions of the various inscrlptions.

In order that the reproduction of music shall be synchronized with the exhibition of the picture, the roll is marked with the proper tempo as indicated at 5 in Fig. 1. If the operator of the piano player sets the instrument to the tempo indicated on the roll, and the projection machine is operated at the standard speed of 16 to 1, the music will be perfectly synchronized with the picture. However, should the operator of the projecting machine speed up or slow down the picture, the operator of the piano player can keep the music synchronized with the picture by attention to the cues stamped upon the rolls. These cues also facilitate the synchronization of the music to the picture when the film has been repaired with portions thereof cut out. Also, by setting the piano player to the indicated tempo, the same being the tempo at which. the music was originally played, the music roll will be reproduced in exactly the same time as that taken for the reproduction of the film reel, thereby avoiding the necessity of changing the music roll during the reproduction of the reel.

I claim 1. The method of producing music rolls for the purpose mentioned which consists in playing suitable music while viewing the reproduction of the picture, thereby recording the music on a sheet by the usual method; and simultaneously indicating on the music roll indicia for positioning cues, substantially as described.

2. The method of producing music rolls for use with moving pictures, consisting in playing suitable music and thereby recording the music on a sheet with a recording ma chine whileviewing the reproduction of the picture; indicating on the roll with the recording machine the position for verbally announced cues; then printing the announced ones on the sheet in the positions indicated by the recorded indicia, substantially as described.

3. The method of producing music rolls for use with moving pictures, consisting in playing suitable music and thereby recording the music on a sheet \vitha recording machine while viewing the reproduction of the picture; indicating on the roll with the recording machine the position for ones; then printing the cues on the sheet in the position indicated by the recording indicia, substantially as described.

4. A music roll for piano players for use in conjunction with moving picture presentations, having scene cues indicated thereon, substantially as described.

5. A music roll for piano players for use in conjunction with moving pictures having indicia thereon to facilitate synchronizing the music with the described. 6. A music roll having perforations formpicture. substantially as ing a record for a musical instrument, said 'record being formed synchronously with a moving picture, the melody of the music being determined by the character of the picture on the film, and cues on said r011 indicating changes of time synchronizing the music with the character of the film scenes being reproduced.

7 music roll having perforations forming a record for a muslcal instrument, said record being formed synchronously with a moving picture, the melodyof the music beperforations forming a record for a musical instrument, said record being formed synchronously with the reproduction of a certain movlng picture film, the melody of the music being determined by the pictorial illustrations of the pictures on the film, ones on said roll indicating in advance the next scene to be presented in the picture and synchronizing the music on the roll to the character of picture being shown, and cues on said roll indicating the changes of time.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this. specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALICE SMYTHE JAY.

Witnesses: THADDEUS G. CowELL, -WILLIAM J. SOANLON. 

